The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-10-29

was not only pecuniaIy sucCess, Tue 'uIee
weeks receipts being $7l,09s.56, but an
even greater artistic triumph. The food
Of "skits," spectacular and ballet shows"
and sensational drama pouring over the
country for the last few years has begotten
the belief that the love Of pure drama and
the higher form Of dramatic art have died
out; but happily this Is amply Glsproved
by the success of this CON DinatiOn OF two
OF the first artists of Americas cOmbina.
ton assisted by really superb company.
OF the two Booth Is ibcomparably the
greater greater In conception, more pol
ished In his work. Seeing and hearing
Booth In his great character OF Brusus, In
julius Caesar, on. forgets the art OF the
actor for the time, and sees only the noble
Brutus, thoughtful, self-contained, and
great, even while walking under the dark
shadow of impending doom. Mr.. Booth In
this great character realizes an ideal that
few tragedians have ever approached. In
every touch there Is the inspiration OF &c.
MUS, and while the character Is far less
snowy than others played by him, In no
other does he reach higher plane OF ar
tistic refinement. In his companion char
acter of Cassius Mr.. Barrett again gave evi.
dence of thoughtful and appreciative study,
and won, as he always does we'll deserved
recognition. Dramatic work like this sure
" redeems the stage from the charge OF
ilippancy and unwholesomeness. II cannot
but educate those who have never before
fallen under the spell Of tragic genius, or
learned 10 discriminate between the work
that Is inspired by genius and that which
Is common to the mere journeymen OF the
profession.
Geo c. Min has completed his first trip
of the season and returned to Chicago tenn
porarily. 1t Is said that the trip Is the
first In which Min has earned profit. He
is certainly to be congratulated. He Is
hard worker. His heart Is In his work I;
but 1t may nevertheless be we'll doubted If
he will ever attain 20 more than mediocre.
cy He is not an actor, and is progressing
toward that goal very, very slowly ltcan.
not be denied that his conceptions are good,
but his power of artistic expression Is nil.
He may attain 1t, but 1t is doubtful. His
next trip will be through the Southwest.
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On Saturday night last an event OF more
than ordinary interest was announced to
occur at Richmond, Va, when Creston
Clarke, son of John Sleeper Clarke, grand.
son of the elder Booth and nephew of Ed
win Booth, was to essay the role OF Hamlet.
II was In Richmond that the elder Booth
made his American debut sixty.six years
ago the 9th day of July, playing Richard
III; and now, 30 many years later, the son
of his daughter, Mrs. Asa Booth Clarke,
will undertake to follow In his footsteps.
John T. Ford, who was Edwin Booths
manager many years ago, is of the opinion
that Creston Clarke is quite as promising
as his uncle was at his age.
as
Charles L. Davis, of "Alvin Joslin" fame,
"who is by all Odds" says the Peoria CAL,
"the most vulgar hamfatter In the theatri-
cal profession was neatly over-reached
ou'::at Butte City, Montana, the other day
Davis, as usual, placed his 100000 worth
OF diamonds" on exhibition and happened
TO display them while the assessor was
making his rounds. This alert functionary
levied on the jewels, took the owners own
valuation as basis for the assessed value
and demanded $500 for their release. Davis
paid the assessment under protest and took
legal steps to recover the amount.
A month or so ago Miss Helen Gibson,
otherwise known as Miss Helen Dauvray,
and known years ago as Little Nell, the
California Diamond" and last year great
success as the heroine In Bronson Howard g
huleIlCdu VIII, ul5uuuucu hoi Ni"An"pe
company on the plea of ill.health. She
gained some measure of fame as base
ball enthusiast, but the motive of her sport.
i've enthusiasm was not revealed until she
married John NJ. Ward, captain and short.
stop of the New York base ball nine last
year. Ward claims the distinction of being
the most cultured man on the diamond.
He is college graduate and has completed
course in the Columbia law school. He
played ball to get money to pursue his
studies and played great game. He Is
the gentleman who has contributed those
scientific articles on base ball to Ltpptn,
colts Magazine, and has been engaged to
deliver series of lectures on the same
subject at Amherst College during the
winter NOTE.
Since the last issue of the FREE TRADER
there have been two very excellent plays
at the Opera House. On Saturday evening
Beatrice Leib played to very small au
dience the excellent melo-drama entitled
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